Football champion Nathan Harrison shines

Nathan Harrison, 14, a Grade 8 pupil at Pelican Park High School, was crowned winner of the Schaap-kraal-based Oasis 'Reach For Your Dreams' Youth Day Freestyle Ball Juggling competition.

- FUAD ESACK

As the saying goes, if you've got it, flaunt it, and young Nathan was not shy to show off his skills with a set of intricate moves reminiscent of a jugglers' balancing act.

"I pick up my freestyle moves while playing soccer with my friends in the streets," Nathan said, after scoring a brace in his side's 3-1 win in an under-14 South Peninsula LFA fixture, at Rooikrans sports complex on Saturday July 21.

"My favourite freestyle move is "around the world", he said, demonstrating a move in which the young freestyler plays the ball off of one foot, then circles up and over the ball before returning underneath to play the ball again.

"But if I have to choose between freestyle and regular football, I would definitely choose being a regular football player," said Nathan, before returning to the pitch for an under-16 match.

While he may have won the crowd over with his tricks, coach Bongani Mathiso prefers sticking to the basics and will have none of the fancy stuff during a match. What impresses the coach most is the player's game intelligence and willingness to work hard.